The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-03-24
THE TRACKS COVERED.
The Time When the Greatest Republican
Rascality Might BE Punished Is Past
Responsibility Of the Republican Party.

THE TRACKS COVERED.
The Time When the Greatest Republican |
Rascality Might BE Punished Is Past |
Responsibility Of the Republican Party. |
Our esteemed contemporary, the Albany |
Argus has not yet explained to its readers why |
the Democratic Administration has neglected
to bring action against the Republicans VINO
have robbed the Government while they were
in office. The Argus charged that the Govern
.lent, under the Republicans, was "mass OF
fostering corruption" 1t asserted that millions
of dollars were stolen and that there were hun
dreds Of defalcations. Its charges were SO clear
and specific that it was asked why the guilty
men were allowed to go unpunished. Since
then the Argus has dropped the subject. This
is singular action.-TFoy Telegram.
The argus dropped the subject pre-
cisely because it had given it the fullest
and most exhaustive consideration,
and, when accused of glittering gener--
alities, replied by what our esteemed
contemporary in Troy justly terms
clear and specific charges. There was
nothing more to be said on the subject.
But the Telegram is surprised that the
Democratic Administration has not ap-
piled itself to the task of hunting down
the public plunderers and furnishing
them for their rascality, and it regards
the silence of the argus. in not ex-
planning this matter, as singular ac-
ton. Nothing singular about it. The
first duty of the Democratic Adminis-
tration was to purify the public service
from the corruption with which nearly
a quarter of century of Republican
rule had poisoned it. This was task
that called for all the time and ener-
gies of the Administration.
The defalcations of United States
officials during the Administrations of
Presidents Grant, Hayes and Arthur,
as compiled from the public records,
show that $12,893, 476. 48 were stolen
from the Government, and this does
not include the money stolen under
the whisky-ring frauds, star-route
frauds, Post-office Department defalca-
tions, Burnside's frauds, Howgate's
frauds, the Naval Medical Bureau
frauds, or the defalcation of the dis
bursting clerk of the State Department
Those frauds extended over con-
siderable period. Some have been in
vestigated under Republican Admins
tration, but the guilty men were, in
the most important instances, allowed
to go unpunished. Dorsey and Brady
were lucky in this respect.
1t is easy to speak of Furnishing those
rascals by due process of law, but next
to an impossibility to corner them so
as to obtain conviction. The ramif-
cations of their schemes were SO widely
extended and involved so many in
terests that, like the spider, they felt
secure within the web of their own
weaving. They covered up their tracks
without difficulty, since they had high
officers of the Government to shield
them. Investigation after investiga-
ton was called for in vain, or, wher
responded to, was so bun glingly man
aged that no satisfactory results were
attainable. The only result was te
cause the rascals to be more caution.
and to destroy, as far as possible, th'
legal proofs of their infamy.
At the time when they might hav {
been punished for their misdeeds, the
Republican Administration refused to
do so. Now that the necessary proofs
are in many cases no longer attainable
witnesses spirited away or documents
missing, the Democratic Administra
| ton is called upon to punish the delin
| quencies and defalcations of Republic
an office holders. We recall to the
attention of our esteemed contempo.
rary the case of Surgcon-General Vale:
and the correspondence between Secre.
tary Chandler and the lamented Mr..
Hendricks in the summer of 1884.
Mr.. Hendricks thus alluded Il
Chandler's connection with this case.
s.For the Bureau of Medicine ant
Surgery the defalcation is large, but tn
more serious fact is that it could ant
did extend through two Administra
tions of the department, a period o
nearly four years. without detection
You testified that some inquiry
was made, and the conclusion
was, that while there were sus
picious circumstances, they did no
warrant conclusion of guilt. After
notice, verbal and in writing, you lef
the men in Office. You did not brin,
the frauds to light nor the guilty par
ties to punishment. What is your mex
excuse? Worse, if possible, than be
fore. You say large number of Con
gressmen recommended that the hea
of the bureau, DR.. Wales, should be re
appointed. Members of Congress kne,
nothing of the frauds; they had no OF
portunity to know. 1t was with
your reach and power. But DR.. Vale
was not one of the three guilty rogues
He neither forged the vouchers no
embezzled the money. His responsi
bility in the case is just the same a
your own. He was the official superio
of the three rogues, as you were @
himself as we'll as of them. Neither h
nor yourself exposed the frauds no
punished the parties.
: This is but a single instance of th
unwillingness of high officials unde
the Republican Administration to brir
defaulters and swindlers to justic'
Er slso disco onaaass. So secure did th
gang of rascals who SO long fattene
upon the Government feel in their Ion
immunity from punishment, by tn
strong grip they held on those wh
} might have brought them to justic
that they did not realize for long tin
the consequences of the change from
corrupt to an honest Government
When they did realize they formed
combine" against Mr.. Cleveland an
his Administration, tribute to honest
rarely paid Chief Executive of tn
+ Nation. Where most of the creature
( of the lobby congregate there will
heard angry mutterings against tt
Administration. When agents of ro
i. ten corporations sit down together al
: heard curses deep and loud.
b The Democratic Administration h;